Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-03
CHAPTER III.
i~hl LIN LII.
UMBOPA ENTERS OUR SERVICE

CHAPTER III
UMBOPA ENTERS OUR SERVICE
LIZ taxes from four to five DAYS. according
TO the vessel and the state of the weather
to run up from the Cape to Durham. some
times, II the landing is bad at East London
where they have not yet got that wonderful
harbor they talk SO much of. and sink such
mint OF money in, one is delayed for TWEEN
ty-four hours before the cargo boats can get
out to take the goods off. But on this occa-
sion we had not to wait at all. for there were
no breakers on the bar to speak of. and the
tugs came out at once with their long strings
OF ugly f1at-bOttomed boats into which the
| goods were bundeled with q crash. II did
| not matter what they were over thew went
Slap, bang; whether they were china or
| wooden goods they met with the same treat
ment. L saw one case containing four dozen
of champagne smashed all to bits, and there
was the champagne fizzing and boiling
about in the bottom Of the dirty cargo boat.
1t was wicked waste, and so evidently the
kafus in the boat thought, for they found a
couple of unbroken bottles and, knocking
the tops off, drank the contents. But they
had not allowed for the expansion caused by
the fzz in the wine, and feeling themselves
swelling, rolled about in the bottom of the
boat, calling out that the good liquor was
tagatl'' (beWitched). spoke to them from
the vessel, and told them that it was the
white mans strongest medicine, and that
they were as good as dead men. They went
on to the shCEe in very great fright, and |
do not think that they will touch champagne
again.
wen, all the time we were running up to
Natal L was thinking over Sir Henry Cur
It's offer We did not speak any more on
the subject for a day or two though | told
them many hunting yarns, all true ones
There is no need to tell lies about hunting,
for so many curious things happen within
the knowledge Of man whose business it is
to hunt; but this is by the way.
At last, one beautiful evening in January.
which is our hottest month, we steamed
along the coast of Natal, expecting to make
Durham Point by sunset. Ii is a lovely coast
all along from East London, with its red
sandhills and wide sweeps of vivid green,
dotted here and there with Kafir kraals, and
bOrdered by a ribbon of white surf which
spouts up in pillars OF foam where it hits the
rocks. But just before you get to Durham
there is a peculiar richness about it. There
are the deep kloofs cut in the hills by the
At'''Aiiirs
rivers sparkle; there is the deepest green of
the bush, growing as God planted it, and the
other greens of the mealie gardens and the
sugar patches, while here and there white
house, smiling out on the placid sea, puts a
finish and gives an air of LONELINESS to the
scene. For to my mind however beautiful a
view may be, it requires the presence of man
to make it complete, but perhaps shat is be |
cause have lived SO much in the wilderness,
and therefore know the value Of civilization, |
though to- be sure it drives away Tire game. |
The Garden OF Eden, no doubt, was fair be- |
fore man was, but always think ID must |
have been fairer when Eve was walking !
about ii. BTB we had mlScalculated little,
and the gun was we'll down before we |
dropped anchor off the Point, and heard the |
gun which told the good folk that the En- |
gliSh mail was in. 1t was too late to think |
Of getting over the bar that night, so went |
down comfortable to dinner, after seeing the |
mails carried Off in the lfeboat.
When we came mp again the moon was Ip, |
and shining SO brightly over the sea and |
shore that she almost paled the quick, large
flashes from the lighthouse. From the shoEe
ffoated sweet spicy odors that always re-
mind me Of hymns and missionaries, and in |
the windows of the houses on the Berea
sDarkled q hundred lights. From q large
brig lying near came the music of the sailors
as they worked at getting the anchor up to
be ready for the wind. Altogether it was
perfect night, such night as you only get |
in Southern Africa, and it threw q garment /
of peace over every body as the moon threw /
garment of silver over everything. Even /
the great bulldog, belonging to a sporting /
passenger, seemed 20 yield to the gentle in !
flnenees, and giving APP yearning to come to- +
close quarters with the baboon in the cage /
Oh the foc'sle, snored happily in the door of j
the cabin dreaming no doubt that he had /
finished him, and happy in his dream
We all, that is, Sir Henry Curtis, Captain !
Good, and myself-went and sat at the /
wheel, and were qagiet for awhile
WELL Mr.. Quatermain," said Sir Henry, /
presently, "have you been thinking abo1t |
my proposals. /
''Ay," echoed Captain Good, what DO /
you think of them, Mr.. Quatermain? L hope |
you are going to give us the pleasure of yoar /
company as, far as Solomon's Mines, or !
wherever the gentleman you knew as /
Neville may have gone to-"
To be continued.